My first month in Leiden

Please e-mail, call or visit the Expat Centre at:
Visitor Centre Leiden
Stationsweg 41
2312 AT Leiden
T +31 (0)71 516 6005
E [email protected]
W www.expatcentreleiden.nl
My first month
in Leiden
A guide to expat
information and services
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Huigpark
Leidse
Schouwburg
Blekerspark
Rembrandt
park
Ankerpark
Stedelijk
Concertgebouw
Leiden
Burcht
Laktheater
Stadhuis
Academie
gebouw
Katoenpark
Van der Werfpark
Plantsoen
Expat Centre Leiden
Please e-mail, call or visit
the Expat Centre at:
Visitor Centre Leiden
Stationsweg 41
2312 AT Leiden
T +31 (0)71 516 6005
E [email protected]
Wwww.expatcentreleiden.nl
The Expat Centre is located in
the Visitors Centre at the South
side of Leiden Central Station
and is open from Monday to
Friday from 8.00 to 18.00.
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Welcome to our city!
On behalf of the city council, I would like to wish you all a very warm wel­
come to Leiden. I will be your mayor during the months or years to come.
For centuries, countless expats and students from all over the world
have been drawn to Leiden. Your presence here makes Leiden even more
colourful than it already was.
The Expat Centre Leiden is very important for all the expats who live and
work in the region: It is the one-stop-shop concerning all regional expat
related issues. The Expat Centre offers advice on a wide range of topics
such as immigration formalities, living in the region and social life. The
Expat Centre can also provide extensive information on the Leiden region.
Our slogan is “Leiden, key to discovery”. Leiden is a city of discoveries as
it is the home of institutes such as Leiden University, the Leiden University
Medical Centre and the Bio Science Park. Leiden is also a place to discover.
We have a long and interesting history, a rich tradition and a monumental
city centre. It is my sincere hope that you will feel at home as soon as
possible in this region that has so much to offer.
Henri Lenferink
Mayor
The Expat Centre Leiden Sponsorship Programme
The Expat Centre Leiden Sponsorship Programme was created in 2010 to connect
expats with service-providers operating
in the expat market. We have created this
booklet, which includes information about
all of our partners, in order to provide
expats with a convenient list of expatrelated companies in the Leiden area.
All companies participating in the Expat
Centre Leiden Sponsorship programme are
known to the Expat Centre and have met
our criteria.
We hope that this booklet will serve as a
helpful tool for new expats in the Leiden
area. We have also included some general
information (for example on public transportation, public holidays and important
Dutch phone numbers).
Furthermore, The Expat Centre Leiden website (www.expatcentreleiden.nl) contains a
wealth of useful information for expats and
the Expat Centre desk is ready and able to
answer questions and provide information
on a wide range of topics.
Expat Centre Leiden
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Expat Centre Leiden
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Checklist
Moving is always a hectic time, and it brings about quite a few
formalities that need to be taken care of. The list of things to do
depends on your nationality, place of birth, family, and sometimes
on your employer’s choice of work permit. Whichever route you
choose, thorough preparation is essential.
What to expect:
• Moving to a new country involves
bureaucracy, the Netherlands is no
exception to this.
• Some Dutch rules and procedures
will be different from those in your
home country.
• Plan time to attend meetings with
Dutch organizations.
• Plan time to prepare documents for
these meetings.
• Communication (information)
is often in Dutch.
Depending on your country of origin,
you will need an entry visa, a work
permit, and a residence permit. You
will also need to register your new
address at the Town Hall and with the
Tax Authority, who will provide you
with a Citizen Service Number (Burger
Service Nummer, BSN).
Preparation phase
Social security
• Collect examples of your child’s
current schoolwork and reports,
test results, etc. (in English when
possible).
• Check if there is a waiting list for
your children at the international
schools in the Netherlands and
apply for a place for your children.
Do the same for childcare organi­
zations, if necessary.
• Speak with a tax consultant
regarding tax exemptions and the
implications of school fees.
• Take photos of family, friends and
familiar places.
• Check that children have the
addresses of friends with whom
they wish to stay in touch.
• Ensure that favourite toys, personal
items, special food, books and
games are carried in your hand
luggage.
• If applicable, obtain an E101 form
if you wish to pay social security
contributions in your home country.
• Check your health insurance – make
sure that you are covered at all times.
• Check with your employer for the possibility of collective insurance deals.
Health care
Formalities
• Update your passport: make sure
it is valid for at least one year after
your arrival in the Netherlands, and
for the full duration of your planned
stay, if possible.
• Update your driving licence: make
sure it does not expire for at least
one year from your arrival date in
the Netherlands. If your driving
licence has no expiry date, make
sure the document is not more than
9 years old.
• Legalisation: have your birth and
marriage certificates legalised or
sanctioned. Certain documents may
also need to be translated if not
Children
already written in English, French,
German or Dutch. Different rules
apply to different nationalities, so
check with your HR manager or the
website www.hcch.net for information pertaining to your personal
situation.
Financial arrangements
• Arrange with your bank in which
manner accounts are to be handled
during your assignment.
• Cancel pending orders, if necessary.
• Inform your income tax office of
your move and complete any
necessary forms.
• Request medical records – make
sure you obtain your children’s full
vaccination records.
• Make sure you bring sufficient medicine to cover the first few weeks of
your stay, if necessary.
Housing
• Check out housing websites to get
a feel for prices, dimensions and
locations.
• Check with your HR manager for
possible housing assistance.
• Take measurements of ‘must take’
furniture to see if it will fit in your
new home.
• Check several removal companies
for rates for your international
removal.
• Decide what is to happen with your
house in your home country, rent it
out, sell it, take action.
Pets
• Check if you have appropriate identification (chip or tattoo) and documentation for your pets.
• Get vaccinations up-to-date (check
expiry date on the vaccinations).
Expat Centre Leiden
Expat Centre Leiden
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• Check if you require a flight
reservation for your pets.
Vehicles
• Consider whether to bring your car
with you.
• Dutch purchase taxes are high,
vehicles for personal use may be
imported tax free under certain
conditions (the most important
being that you have owned and
used the car for over six months).
• If a vehicle is over ten years old, it
is probable that it will not pass the
Dutch environmental test.
• Get a no-claims statement from
your current insurance company.
• Arrange transportation to the
Netherlands, if necessary.
Arrival phase
Formalities
Healthcare
• Apply for and collect your work
permit (if applicable).
• Register at the Town Hall of your
place of residence.
• Apply for your residence permit
(if applicable). In some cases this
application can be submitted before
the work permit has been issued.
• Collect your citizen service number
(BSN) at the local Town Hall.
• Receive confirmation that your
residence permit will be issued
(if applicable).
• Collect your residence permit from
the Town Hall (if applicable).
• Open a bank account.
• Register with a local doctor
and dentist.
Transport
Housing
• Register imported vehicles with the
Dutch authorities. People registered
as living in the Netherlands can not
own / drive a ‘foreign’ vehicle here.
• View accommodation.
• If agreed, sign contracts.
• Organise utilities (water, gas,
electricity, phone, internet, etc.).
• Check which day(s) your bin(s) and
other waste items are collected.
Call your Town Hall, or simply ask
a neighbour or landlord.
• Arrange housing insurance.
Children
• It is compulsory for children between the age of 5 and 16 to attend
full-time education.
Social security, taxes
and insurance
• Arrange health insurance.
• If you have an E101, ask your insurance company for an E106 (or E128
or EHIC) and arrange registration.
• Register with the Dutch authorities.
Your employer may do this for you.
• Set up vehicle insurance.
• Arrange liability insurance and consider getting travel insurance.
• Ask your HR department to apply
for the 30% tax ruling (if applicable).
Cycle
through
Leiden
like the
Dutch do
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Expat Centre Leiden
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Expat Centre Leiden
Public Holidays in the Netherlands
Settling-in phase
Formalities
Healthcare
• Exchange your driving licence for a
Dutch one (if applicable).
• Return foreign licence to home
country (make a copy!).
• Note expiry dates of all permits and
licences – make sure you re-apply
on time!
• Register with a doctor, dentist
and pharmacy.
Social security, tax
and insurance
• Apply for child benefit if applicable.
• Apply for spouse tax credit if applicable.
Leaving the Netherlands
There are a number of matters to be
dealt with when you leave the Netherlands. It is important that you cancel
your registration in the Municipal Personal Records Database. This means the
municipality will remove your personal
details from the files. The municipality
will automatically inform other government authorities of your departure. You
will receive an official document noting
Drinks
on a boat
on one of
the canals
the end of your registration.
Ending your registration is possible
from one month to five days prior to
your departure from the Netherlands.
It is possible to end your registration
in person, by post or via the internet.
If you do not fill in a departure date,
the day on which the municipality receives the document will be regarded
as your departure date.
The Netherlands has
13 main holidays.
01 January
New Year’s Day
(Nieuwjaarsdag)
March/April
Good Friday (Goede Vrijdag)
– The Friday before Easter.
05 May
Liberation Day
(Bevrijdingsdag)
(This is an official holiday
once in every 5 years)
40 days after Easter
Ascension Day
(Hemelvaartsdag)
7 weeks after Easter
March/April
Pentecost (Pinksteren) –
Easter (Pasen) – The Dutch
The Dutch celebrate two
celebrate two days of Easter: days of Pentecost: 1e Pink1e Paasdag and 2e Paasdag sterdag and 2e Pinksterdag
(on Sunday and the
(on Sunday and the sub­
subsequent Monday).
sequent Monday).
30 April
03 October The relief of
Queen’s Day (Koninginnedag) Leiden (Leidens Ontzet)
(This is not a national
04 May Remembrance Day holiday) – Residents of
(Dodenherdenking)*
Leiden celebrate the end of
the Spanish siege and the
relief of their city in 1574
with a popular festival.
05 December
Saint Nicholas’ Eve
(Sinterklaas) (This is not
an official holiday)
25 & 26 December
Christmas (Kerstmis) –
The Dutch celebrate two
days of Christmas:
1e Kerstdag (Christmas Day)
and 2e Kerstdag
(Boxing Day).
* Although this is not a national
holiday, all over the country
two minutes of silence are
taken into account at 8:00 PM
local time.
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Expat Centre Leiden
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Expat Centre Leiden
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Useful information
Banking
Housing
Insurance
Rabobank
Eigen Haard
Makelaars
Rots-Vast Groep
Meeùs
Rabobank
Zorg en
Zekerheid
About us
Rabobank Group is an international financial services
provider operating on the
basis of cooperative principles. We offer retail banking, wholesale banking,
asset management, leasing
and real estate services.
Rabobank Leiden, Leiderdorp and Oegstgeest offers
adequate financial services
and products to suit your
personal situation, all under
one roof.
About us
Eigen Haard Makelaars is
an agency with over 75
years of experience in
the local housing market.
If you are looking for
accommodation to rent
or a house to buy, the
Eigen Haard team will be
standing by to assist you
with their experience and
expertise.
About us
The Rots-Vast Groep has
been renting, letting and
managing rental properties
for over 21 years. With
more than 40 offices and
over 3500 houses for rent
on the short term, we
are the largest real estate
broker in homes for rent in
The Netherlands.
Rots-Vast Groep;
Winner in Housing
Mediation.
About us
Meeùs has been operating in
the field of insurances since
1927. We operate (inter-)
nationally and are part of
the Unirobe Meeùs Groep
(UMG), which is fully owned
by AEGON. With 2.200
staffmembers, UMG is one
of the largest insurance
brokers organisations in the
Netherlands.
About us
Rabobank Group is an international financial services
provider operating on the
basis of cooperative principles. We offer retail banking, wholesale banking,
asset management, leasing
and real estate services.
Rabobank Leiden, Leiderdorp and Oegstgeest offers
adequate financial services
and products to suit your
personal situation, all under
one roof.
About us
As a healthcare insurer
based in an international
environment, we can
show you the way to
the best care providers
(general practitioners,
dentists, hospitals etcetera)
with respect to quality,
accessibility and price. With
Zorg en Zekerheid, you are
covered by one of the best
healthcare insurers. Visit
one of our insurance shops
(Leiden: Korevaarstraat 2)
for tailor-made advice.
Contact information
Rabobank
Visiting address:
Stationsweg 37-39
2312 AT Leiden
Postal address:
Postbus 2041
2301 CA Leiden
T +31 (0)71 565 9393
E [email protected]
W www.rabobank.nl/
particulieren/servicemenu/
english_pages/
Contact information
Eigen Haard Makelaars
Visiting address:
Geversstraat 63
2341 GC Oegstgeest
Postal address:
Postbus 1216
2340 BE Oegstgeest
T +31 (0)71 519 1919
F +31 (0)71 519 1929
E [email protected]
W www.eigen-haard.nl
Contact information
Rots-Vast Groep
Visiting and postal address:
Oude Herengracht 18
2312 LN Leiden
T +31 (0)71 524 6878
F +31 (0)71 524 6870
E [email protected]
W www.rotsvast.nl/
en/Home/
Contact information
Meeùs
Visiting and postal address:
Rijnsburgersingel 61
2316 XX Leiden
T+31 (0)71 568 5685
F +31 (0)71 522 3539
E [email protected]
Wwww.meeus.com
(only in Dutch)
Contact information
Rabobank
Visiting address:
Stationsweg 37-39
2312 AT Leiden
Postal address:
Postbus 2041
2301 CA Leiden
T +31 (0)71 565 9393
E [email protected]
W www.rabobank.nl/
particulieren/servicemenu/
english_pages/
Contact information
Zorg en Zekerheid
Visiting address:
Haagse Schouwweg 12
2332 KG Leiden
Postal address:
Postbus 400
2300 AK Leiden
T+31 (0)71 582 5825
Wwww.zorgenzekerheid.nl/
expatcentre
Expat Centre Leiden
Expat Centre Leiden
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Legal Matters
Taxes
Teekens Karstens Baker Tilly Berk
advocaten notarissen
Expat & Tax
Solutions B.V.
Grant Thornton
Zirkzee & Den Os
About us
TeekensKarstens Lawfirm is
firmly rooted in the Leiden
society. TK offers advice
on your legal status in a
clear and personal manner.
TK has a customized approach, our professionals
think fast and strive to
find the most appropriate
solution for your personal
situation.
About us
Baker Tilly Berk Expat &
Tax Solutions B.V. is an
independent international
business advisory firm with
more than 30 well trained
and experienced professionals. We help companies
and individuals to operate
smoothly in another jurisdiction thus providing a solution which is mainly focused
on solving issues regarding
legal matters, (international)
tax and social security.
About us
Grant Thornton’s motto: “Our
knowledge is your power”.
Our aim is to advise you
about all the fiscal aspects of
your new environment and
to help you find your way in
all legal and fiscal matters
in The Netherlands. You can
rely on Grant Thornton to
ensure that our fiscal experts
always keep abreast of the
very latest developments in
the ever-changing fiscal situation in the Netherlands.
About us
Zirkzee & Den Os Accountants & Tax Lawyers has
its headquarters in Leiden
(Darwinweg 14, next to
Naturalis) with front offices
in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The primary focus of
Zirkzee & Den Os is to be
of service to clients from
abroad with a business
and Expat population in
The Netherlands.
Contact information
TeekensKarstens
advocaten notarissen
Visiting address:
Vondellaan 51
2332 AA Leiden
Postal address:
Postbus 1144
2302 BC Leiden
T +31 (0)71 535 8000
F +31 (0)71 535 8001
E [email protected]
W www.tk.nl/index.php/en
Contact information
Baker Tilly Berk
Expat & Tax Solutions B.V.
Visiting address:
Schipholweg 115
2316 XC Leiden
Postal address:
Postbus 504
2300 AM Leiden
T +31(0)71 750 6800
F +31(0)71 750 6850
E [email protected]
W www.btbeats.com
Contact information
Grant Thornton
Visiting address:
Schipholweg 68d
2316 XE Leiden
Postal address:
Postbus 2154
2301 CD Leiden
T +31 (0)71 524 0909
F +31 (0)71 524 0919
W www.gt.nl/en/45
Contact information
Zirkzee & Den Os
Accountants & Tax Lawyers
Visiting address:
Darwinweg 14
2333 CR Leiden
Postal address:
Postbus 916
2300 AX Leiden
T +31 (0)71 572 4965
F +31 (0)71 572 4970
E [email protected]
W www.zirkzeedenos.com
Accountants &
Tax Lawyers
Beautiful
Windmill
de Valk
Expat Centre Leiden
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Essential Dutch Phone Numbers
Below you will find a summary of important Dutch telephone
numbers which you may require in case of an emergency or
problem.
NOTE:
On the first Monday of each month at
12.00 noon, the city’s emergency
sirens are tested. Do not be alarmed. In
the event of a real emergency, turn on
your television or radio and tune in to
a local station for further information.
For general information about what to
do in case of an emergency, visit the
following website:
W www.nederlandveilig.nl/
noodsituaties/english/
Emergency doctor’s office
The emergency doctor’s office can be
contacted for medical emergencies
outside of regular doctor’s hours. This
service operates around the clock
(24 hours a day) and is available on
nights, weekends and all public holidays.The number in Leiden is:
T 0900 5138 039
Electricity and gas
Emergency service number
T 0800 9009
Police, fire brigade
and ambulance
Radio, TV, Internet and
Telephone
Emergencies
police, fire brigade, ambulance
T 112
ZIGGO
Emergency service number
T 0900 1884 (€ 0,10 cpm)
Police information
(non-emergency)
T 0900 8844
Public transport
Anonymous tip-line
(to report crimes)
T 0800 7000
Fire brigade Leiden
(non-emergency)
T +31 (0)71 521 2121
Ambulance Leiden
(non-emergency)
T +31 (0)71 523 3233
Leiden is ideally located within a short
travelling distance of large cities such
as The Hague and Amsterdam and can
be reached in a variety of ways: by
car, boat, train, bus and by air. Inter­
national visitors can easily access
Leiden, as Schiphol (Amsterdam
airport) is at just a 20 minute drive’s
distance and the less sizable Rotterdam Airport is at 25 minutes’ distance.
The Stena Line ferry from Harwich
docks at Hoek van Holland (Corner of
Holland) and from this location, travellers from the UK can make their way to
Leiden Central Station within an hour.
Expat Centre Leiden
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The city runs an excellent bus network.
Leiden is easy to reach by public
transport. Trains from all directions
stop at Leiden Central Station, and the
city centre is just a short walk from
the station. If you prefer taking the
bus, there is a frequent bus service
from the station which will take you to
virtually every corner of the city.
Travel advice for public transport
Domestic
T 0900 9292 (€ 0,70 cpm)
W www.9292ov.nl
International
T 0900 9296 (€ 0,35 cpm)
Bus
W www.connexxion.nl
W www.veolia-transport.nl/
reisinformatie
Train
W www.ns.nl
Leiden City Hall
Municipality Citizenship
and Taxes Information Desk
The Citizenship and Taxes Information
Desk provides information regarding
travel documentation, driving licences,
the registration as a citizen of Leiden,
etc. It is possible to make an appointment to apply for the documents
which you require. At this Information Desk you can also ask questions
­related to local taxes.
Address:
Stadhuisplein 1, 2311 EJ Leiden
E [email protected]
T +31 (0)71 516 5500
(Monday to Friday 09.00 - 16.00)
Opening hours desk:
Monday to Friday 08.30 - 12.00
(no appointment required)
Monday to Friday 13.00 - 16.00
(appointments only)
Thursday 16.00 - 20.00
(appointments only)
Leiden
Central
Station